Fujifilm GA645zi Information Request

[Laurence]

I thought I read not too long ago about someone purchasing a
Fujifilm GA645zi. I would LOVE to hear about it, as I have a possibility
of picking a near-mint one cheap, to try out. I'm really liking what I
hear about it, and it might be a nice lightweight hiking camera that still
retains the 4.5x6 format which I love.

I hope someone either remembers who posted, or can steer me to
any other information on here about the camera. The search engine
didn't help me much.

Thanks in advance!

Larry

[Arkku]

I have the non-zoom GA645i. It's very nice to use, and also a bit funny because it's a medium format point & shoot. Manual focus only useful for locking focus at infinity, as there is no (visual) rangefinder, no through-the-lens viewing, and focusing only happens in “steps”. But it has both “active” (IR bounce) and “passive” (phase detect?) autofocus, which works very well. Automatic exposure is also very accurate. It is the most automated camera that I use… =)


(edit: I realize this is not about the GA645zi, but I believe all the same points should apply, but hopefully someone will tell us more about the zoom lens on the zi…)

[F16SUNSHINE]

Larry if the price is right go for it.
I've had the bigger brothers GW670/690iii now for a year and love them.
The fuji rf's although a bit plasticy are sturdy while being light weight and have simply superb optics.
The af you may not like but, if the price is right you can always let it go later.
As a lightweight hiking 645 I don't think you can go wrong.

[rbelyell]

hi laurence
i think im the guy to whom youre referring. if you recall i had emailed you to get your advice on its purchase as you are our mf guru. i have only shot 4 rolls and developed one, with a cheap b&w acros film that i didnt like too much, but as far as portability is concerned, its great. i took it on a recent trip to quebec city where high temp was 0 because i ddidnt want to have to fiddle with settings. i was able to carry the cam in my coat pocket and its easy operation allowed for the ability to get some great captures. also, having even a crappy flash on board can be a great plus in some situations, like when we visited the famous ice hotel as it allowed me to get some low light shots i coukd not get with the loaded 100 asa film that was in the camera.

i understand the optics are superb, though i cannot personally vouch for them after developing only 1 roll of b&w with crappy film, but i did see nice detail in some of the shots, and many who have seen the roll seem to like them. i am sending off 3 color slide rolls on monday, but i would say if the price is right go for it. they seem to go for a minimum of $4-500, but as you may recall i got mine for under $300 because it was missing the flash cover plate and the flash has to be lifted manually from the camera body to use--a small incovenience to save half the price.

i know there is a manual focus override, but i have not yet tried it out,
and that woykd be the onky caveat to you because i knkw you value your manual control...

would be very interested to know what you decide! please feel free to ask any specific questions as i welcome the oppty to be of help!

tony
tony

[Laurence]

Great!
Thanks for the information guys! Tony: I should have remembered that
it was you! I actually deleted my PMs the other day, or I would have
found it in there.

Speaking of the manual focus versus auto-focus - in this case I would look
at this as a "quicker" camera where the auto-focus might help me to get
some more spur-of-the-moment shots that I have missed with the Pentax
645. I have read a little bit about the camera, and it sounds like manual
focus might be a bit "clunky", not sure about that. I actually will research
more later today. Photo.net usually has a lot of personal use articles
on equipment.

I also have a hiking trip planned that is going to be one of the more strenuous
solo trips of my life. It is a trip I've always wanted to do, but needed the time
to have available to complete the extensive traversing from one watershed to
the next. In this case, I would not want to bring anything heavyweight. I
considered that I could use the very nice Pentax ZX-5N with a lens or two,
but I just never seem to get much out of 35mm systems. So, of course the
Fuji 645 or equivalent would be appropriate.

I've also looked at the Mamiya 6, and that is a crackin-good camera as well! I
do like 6x6 format as well as 645, and the Yashica Mat has given me some
very acceptable images through the years. Again, it's just a little too heavy and
clunky for true cross-country backpacking. As above, I'll take a little more of
a look at the Mamiya 6 as well.

Tony, it sounds VERY nice that you were actually able to carry the Fuji in your
coat pocket! That would mean I could probably slip it right into an easily
accessible lateral pocket on my pack, where I could just reach for it and
snag it quickly.

Andy, you have have BOTH the 670 and 690? Wow! They ALSO look like really
convenient cameras though I assume they are larger overall than a 645 would be?
Again, the "real estate" of the transparency would certainly be nice in those
formats.

Arkku, interesting that it focuses in steps! Has that given you any problems with
getting perfect focus? I assume not, or you would have mentioned it. Also, automatic
exposure is something that can be convenient again, especially for those "hurry
up" shots that I've missed before.

It's all a rather pleasant confusion when thinking of these possibilities. Life is tough,
isn't it?

[Laurence]

The Mamiya 6 or Mamiya 7 is out. Too many $$$$. Haha!

[rbelyell]

from the one roll i developed the metering was spot on. i mostly shoot in aperture priority where possible and the cam seemed perfect all the time. its also pretty easy to use exposure comp w more difficult lighting situations, though you have to set it in the lcd screen, not in the vf screen, which means you have to take your eye off the subject.

also respecting manual focus, its really a distance scale affair, not true manual focusing. if you dont know the distance to the subject you CANNOT focus manually.

[Laurence]

[rbelyell]

glad to help. yeah, this is an autofocus cam without meaningful mf capability.

[Laurence]

[Sevo]

[rbelyell]

laurence i think for you stated purpose of lightweight easy to operate medium format cam with high quality optics at reasonable price this is really the top choice. zoom and flash, believe it or not, will later be seen as unexpectedly nice bonus...

[Laurence]

[rbelyell]

sooooo.......? did you take the leap?

[Laurence]

[rbelyell]

cool! best of luck with it! if you just take it for what it is, a mf p&s w some manual control, i think youll be very happy w its ease of use and convenience. cant wait to see some photos!

if you want i posted some images from my first roll at

http://gallery.me.com/rbelyell/100297

its just the last 7 or 8 images in b&w, test shots really. the rest are digital with my ep2, but you may get some idea of what it can do with crappy film (fuji acros100) and a crappy photographer!

i hope you post some shots when you get yours, look forward to it!
tony